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Hard profile uniforms can be soft targets

The tragic deaths of New York Police Officers, Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos over last weekend have placed an even bigger spotlight on the ever increasing threats of lone wolf attacks. While law enforcement agencies nationwide continue to warn their officers of such threats and urge them to maintain their situational awareness at the highest levels, it is important to note that the difference between a security officer uniform and a police officer uniform can become irrelevant to an attacker who is out to prey on anyone wearing a badge and patches. Perhaps the only difference that an attacker may notice is that many security officers are not armed, thus making them a softer target.

​What are your security officers being told in briefings?
​Do your security officers recognize the existing threats and how it may impact them?
How many of your officers operate in the, “It won’t happen to us” mindset?

​Aside from providing your officers training, consider tasking your officers to train themselves by visualizing different scenarios of the many different threats they face while in uniform. Visualizing such scenarios can enable them to develop appropriate responses to these threats but more importantly will allow them to think of questions about certain responses. Those questions can begin productive discussions amongst the team and managers to determine best practices to use should the threat, or should I say WHEN the threat presents itself. Needless to say, it may also get those “It won’t happen to us” mindsets to change and therefore increase officer awareness. As we always say, Security should be a Mindset, Not a State of Mind. I would love to read your answers to the questions above!